Batting practice apparatus



May 23, 1961 w.- A. TRIPPET BATTING PRACTICE APARATUS Filed Oct. 14, 1959 ZNVENTOR WILLIAM A. TRIPPET I ATTORNEY BA'I'I'ING PRACTICE APPARATUS William A. Trippet, 1707 Hour Glass Drive, Orlando, Fla.

Filed Oct. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 846,371

12 Claims. (Cl. 273-26) This invention relates to improvements in batting practice apparatus, and more particularly to an appliance useful, for example, in practicing and/ or perfecting the batting swing of persons playing games such as baseball.

Among the more important objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a simple yet effective and thoroughly dependable appliance effective to perfect the swing of baseball players and other persons playing games involving the swinging of a hat or similar implement with a view to striking at an object such as a baseball; the provision of a swing-perfecting appliance designed to train a person using same, such as a baseball player, in developing a level swing at a ball or similar object; the provision of such an appliance which is adjustable to players of different height, types of swing, and the like; and the provision of an appliance as aforesaid characterized by one or more guide bars constructed and arranged as to define a guide path for a bat as the latter is swung by a person wielding same in simulation of striking at a baseball or similar object, to the end that said person is trained in executing a proper swing of the bat, as determined by the aforesaid guide path.

The above and other objects and features of advantage of a batting practice appliance according to the invention will appear from the following detailed description thereof, in which reference is bad to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred physical embodiment thereof, wherein Fig. l is a plan view of a batting practice appliance as herein proposed, which further. illustrates the relation of the batter or other person using said appliance relative thereto, and also the size relationship of person and apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a batting practice appliance according to the invention illustratively comprises a base mounting an upright standard or post 12, the base having any desired form such as that of a rigid plate, or being of forked construction, and although not shown being supported on wheels where portability or outside use of the appliance isdesired. Adjustably mounted on the upright post 12 is a clamp sleeve 14, whose vertical position therealong may be fixed by a clamp screw 16 preferably having a wing-shaped head whereby it may be easily turned in adjusting the clamp sleeve to various positions of elevation with respect to said post 12.

Secured to the adjustable clamp sleeve 14 so as to be vertically adjustable therewith is a guide bar mounting frame generally designated 18. Said frame comprises a forwardly disposed horizontal arm 20, to the front end of which is fixedly connected a generally L-shaped frame part comprising a vertical leg 22 and a forwardly. extending horizontal leg 24 whose forward end terminates in a vertically-upwardly extending offset 24m. Said L-shaped 2,985,452 Patented May 23, 1961 to its vertical leg 22 as by a thumb screw 28, mounts a secondary frame part comprising a forwardly extending horizontal leg 30, whose forward end portion terminates in a vertically-downwardly extending offset 30a. As best seen in Fig. 3, the frame offsets 24a and 30a provide a closer spacing of the forward ends of the frame parts than that of their rearward portions and this spacing can be simply varied by shifting the clamp sleeve 26 along the vertical frame leg 22. A

The aforesaid guide bar frame 18 may also be adjusted in angular direction about the axis of the frame arm 20, consequent to the rearward end thereof having a swivel connection to the aforesaid clamp sleeve 14, as permits the frame to turn bodily to either side of the vertical plane which normally contains the frame legs 24a and 30a. Of course, the frame is normally secured in a fixed position of adjustment by a thumb screw 32 by which the rearward end of the frame leg 20 is secured to the clamp sleeve 14.

Fixedly secured as by welding to the aforesaid frame offsets 24a, 30a is a pair of vertically spaced, parallel guide bars 34, 36, preferably of rod section, which, as seen in Fig. 1, are curved to extend along an arc corresponding generally to the arc of motion of a baseball bat or similar implement upon the latter being propelled by a batter in simulation of striking at a pitched ball or similar object. As also seen in Fig. 1, the frame offsets 24a, 30a connect to the mid point of said guide bars 34, 35, so that a batter or other person Wielding a bat standingforwardly of the base 10 and its upright post 12 is disposed symmetrically to the ends of said guide bars.

Thus, when positioned at a proper level with respect to the batter, the guide bars define a guide path or slot for the bat as it moves throughout its swing.

Of course, it will be understood that rather than the guide path being adjustable to the batters swing (unless the latter needs no correction, in which case the device becomes a swing practicing device), the guide path is adjusted to the proper height and inclination as will aid a batter whose swing needs perfecting, Le. a batter whose swing is choppy or lacking in follow-through, for example, to practice a more level swing with the requisite followthrough action. For this purpose, the device is well suited, since the height of the guide path or slot defined by said arcuate bars 34, 36, may be adjusted by shifting the guide bar frame 18 as a unit vertically with respect to the upright post 12. Also, the device permits adjustment of the inclination of the guide path by virtue of the swivel connection between the frame arm 20 and the clamp sleeve 14. Finally, the device of the invention also permits variation in the depth of the guide path or slot, as by adjusting the frame part 30-30a upwardly or down wardly along the vertical frame leg 22 of the frame part 2224a, thus to narrow the guide path or slot in the final stage of a swing-practice session, or as the batting swing nears perfection as the result of repeated practice frame part, by means of a clamp 26 adjustably secured 7 sessions.

To provide for the case of the batter being shy of or reluctant to swing a bat along a guide slot defined top and bottom by rigid bar members, the device also permits complete removal of the upper guide bar 36, as by unloosening the thumb screw 28 and sliding the clamp sleeve 26, together with upper frame part Sit-30a and said upper guide bar, upwardly from the vertical leg-22 of the lower frame part. With this set-up, the shy batter may swing the, bat throughout a guide path defined along its lower side only by the fixed guide bar 34.

Various useful features may be added to the aforesaid basic structure if and as desired. For example, a vertical-bar or rod 38' may be secured as shown in Fig. 2 to the right or slot-entrance end of the guide bar 34, such serving to cushion and/ or deflect the bat should the batter swing it all the way around. Also, an elongated plate member 40, whose forward-edge line corresponds to the curvature of the guide bars 34, 36, and

whose rearward edge line issuch as to provide substantial depth to the plate throughout its length may be secured in position such that it underlies the lower guide bar 34, as by welding it at spaced points to the forward leg portion 24 of the guide-bar frame 18 (see Fig. 3) and to said vertical rod '38. When so positioned, the plate in effect provides a horizontal shelf disposed below the guide slot defined by said guide bars 351-, 36, on which a ball or other object to be struck may be teed up to the elevation bringing it within the vertical confines of said guide slot. Or the shelf may be employed as a support for an impact-measuring means positioned thereon in the path of the bat, thus to measure the force of impact therewith on a ball or other object positioned to be struck by the bat at various parts of the swing thereof.

It will be understood that the batting practice appliance illustrated is set up for use by a righthanded batter, whose swing is from right-to-left, as indicated in Fig. 1. For the lefthanded batter, whose swing would be from left-to-right, the vertical rod 38 would of course be afiixed to the left end of the fixed guide bar 34, and similarly the plate 413 will be of lefthand construction so as to be secured beneath the left half are of the guide bar 34.

In use, and assuming that a righthanded batter or other person is using the appliance, the latters stance with respect to said appliance is approximately that of the batter illustratively shown in Fig. 1. Prior to the batter taking this stance, as aforesaid, the guide bar supporting frame 18 is adjusted to a vertical position such as to position the guide path or slot defined by the guide bars 34, 36 at the level of the swing determined to be best for the particular batter. Also, the angular position of the guide-bar supporting frame has also been preset so as to insure the proper inclination of the guide path or slot best suited to the batters swing or to the correction deemed to be necessary thereto.

Prior to starting his practice swing, the batter extends the bat so as to position its outer orstriking end in the guide slot. Thereupon the batter swings the bat from right to left, in the meantime attempting to make the bat follow the guide path without engaging the top or bottom edges thereof as defined by the guide bars. With repeated swings, the batter is accordingly trained to bat level or at an inclination determined by the selected disposition or inclination relative to horizontal of said guide bars 36.

Without further analysis, it wil be seen that the batting practice appliance as described and illustrated achieves the desirable objectives therefor outlined in the foregoing. More particularly, the appliance is useful in training batters and other persons using a bat-like implement in perfecting his or her swing and at the same time it is characterized by simple yet rugged and thoroughly dependable construction assuring its long life.

However, as many changes could be made in carrying out the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A batting practice appliance comprising, in combination, an upright supporting member, and elongated, vertically spaced and generally parallelly disposed members mounted on and forwardly of said support, said members extending along generally horizontal arcs and defining a guidepath for a bat as the latter is swung by a person wielding same in simulation of striking at a baseball or similar object.

4 2. The appliance substantially as set forth in claim 1, having means for adjusting the elevation of said guidepath defining members in unison.

3. The appliance substantially as set forth in claim 1, having means for adjusting the elevation of said guidepath defining members in unison and relatively of one another.

4. The appliance substantially as set forth in claim 1,

, similar arcs which correspond generally to the arc of the batting swing of the person standing forwardly of the appliance. I

7. The appliancesubstantially as set forth'in claim 1, wherein the upper guide-path defining member is mounted for bodily removal from said appliance.

8. A batting practice appliance comprising, in combination, a base, an upright post member mounted thereon, a frame member mounted on said .post member and extending forwardly-horizontally therefrom, said frame mounting at its forward end companion vertically spaced, elongated members defining guide-path members and extending along similar, generally horizontal arcs and which together define a raised, substantially horizontal guide path for a bat as the latter is swung by a person wielding same in simulation of striking at a baseball or similar object.

9. A batting practice appliance substantially as set forth in claim 8, wherein said guide-path defining members extend along arcs which correspond generally to the arc of swing of said bat.

10. A batting practice appliance substantially as set forth in claim 8, wherein said frame member comprises a first frame part and means connecting the rearward end thereof to the upright post, while permitting its vertical and angular adjustment with respect to said post, a second frame part and means connecting the rearward end thereof to a rearward point of said first frame part, while permitting vertical adjustment thereof relative to said first frame part, the forward ends'of said frame parts carrying said guide-path defining members.

11. A batting practice appliance substantially as set forth in claim 8, wherein said guide-path defining members extend along arcs which correspond generally to the arc of swing of said bat, and wherein said frame comprises a first frame part and means connecting the rear end thereof to the upright post, while permitting its vertical and angular adjustment relative to said post, a second frame part and means connecting the rearward end thereof to a rearward point of said first frame part, while permitting its vertical adjustment relative thereto, the forward ends of said frame parts being vertically spaced and carrying respectively said vertically spaced guide-path defining members.

12. A batting practice appliance substantially as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means connecting the second frame part to the first frame part is constructed and arranged as to enable bodily removal of said second frame part and the guide bar carried thereby from the first frame part and the guide bar similarly carried thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,567,530 Mac Naughton Dec. 29, 1925 1,636,753 Olcott July 26, 1927 2,443,131 Fessler June 8,, 1948 2,653,025 Zega Sept. 22, 1953 

